As generally known in the art, mobile communication systems have evolved from 1st generation analog AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System) and 2nd generation cellular/PCS (Personal Communication Service) systems into 3rd generation IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication 2000), which has been recently standardized by ITU-R and commercialized in line with development in information/communication technologies. The IMT-2000 includes CDMA 2000 1X, 3X, EV-DO, and WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) and uses an IS-95SC network, which has evolved from conventional IS-95A and IS-95B networks, so that it can provide a wireless Internet service at a maximum data transmission rate of 144 Kbps, which is substantially faster than that of the IS-95A or IS-95B network (14.4 Kbps or 56 Kbps). Particularly, the IMT-2000 not only improves the quality of conventional voice communication service and WBS (Wireless Broadcasting Service), but also provides various multimedia services (e.g. AOD, VOD) at a faster speed.
Such evolution of mobile communication systems are followed by evolution of mobile communication terminals into multipurpose devices, which can provide various types of applications in addition to basic voice communication. Users can download various pieces of multimedia data, such as images, moving pictures, music, and games, and run the data by using mobile communication terminals. Mobile communication terminals incorporate various types of convenient functions (e.g. electronic organizer, photo editor, camera). In addition, mobile communication terminals can realize colorful graphic environment on the idle screen, as a result of improved performance of LCD drivers.
The idle screen is a starting point for using various applications provided by mobile communication terminals. Furthermore, each user can decorate the idle screen with his favorite photo, image, or animation and express his own personality.
Particularly, a user of a conventional mobile communication terminal can download a photo, image, or animation from the service provider and decorate the idle screen with it by using a WAP script. Alternatively, the user may set up the idle screen by downloading a non-interactive application (phone theme) or an interactive application (e.g. “1 mm” or “MoA” service available from SK Telecom., Inc.) and installing it.
Korean Registered Patent No. 10-0486516 discloses a method for using a frequently-used application (e.g. schedule management, text message, address book) for the idle screen of a mobile communication terminal so that its user can directly run the application without complicated steps of operation. This method seeks to enhance the functionality of the mobile communication terminal, in addition to enabling the user to set up the idle screen as desired in an attempt to express his personality.
However, conventional methods for setting up the idle screen have the following problems.
First, once an application is used for the idle screen, it is impossible to present another application on the same idle screen.
Second, when another application is to be used for the idle screen, tree-structured menu items must be searched through a number of steps, which renders it inconvenient to modify the idle screen.
Third, although basic applications (e.g. address book, text message) may be given shortcuts on the key input module for direct access, the limited number of key buttons on the terminal makes it impossible to assign shortcuts to all of the ever-increasing applications.